A technique disclosed herein relates to an imaging apparatus including a focus detection section configured to detect a defocus amount of a subject by performing phase difference detection, and particularly relates to an imaging apparatus by which a motion image can be shot.
Recently, a digital camera (camera including camcorders and still cameras) in which imaging devices such as a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor, a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, etc. are used to convert a subject image into an electrical signal, and such an electrical signal is converted into a digital form and is recorded has widespread application. The digital camera of this type may be configured so that a region corresponding to an imaging surface of the imaging device includes a plurality of different focus detection areas, and a defocus amount of a subject in each of the focus detection areas can be detected.
An imaging apparatus described in, e.g., Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-249903 includes seven different focus detection areas in a region corresponding to an imaging surface of an imaging device. The imaging apparatus is configured to be switchable between a mode in which the focus detection area used for auto-focusing (hereinafter referred to as “AF”) is automatically selected from the seven focus detection areas, and a mode in which one of the seven focus detection areas, which is selected by a photographer is used to perform the AF. In the imaging apparatus of Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-249903, an acceptable focusing range is increased in the mode in which the focus detection area is automatically selected, thereby shortening a focusing time.